Terminator: Catharsis
by TerminatorT888
Summary: A T-888 is sent back in time to protect John Connor's daughter who has also been sent back to give her some semblance of a normal life. What will happen when she falls for the machine as well? Eventual OCxOC and Jameron, as well as Sarah and Catherine.
1. Chapter 1: Back to the Past

Author's Note: I don't own the Terminator Franchise, only the Original Characters found here.

The T-888 that serves as the protagonist alongside John Connor's daughter is modeled physically after Stephen Amell. This is a picture of his appearance for those of you who don't know what he looks like.

**Terminator: Catharsis**

_Los Angeles, California_

_2029 AD_

_Resistance Hideout, Reactivation of T-Series 888 Model 200_

_**/System Startup: Online**_

_**/System Check: Running**_

_**/System Check: Complete**_

_**HUD initializing**_

Instantly the red Heads Up Display started, running a scan of the area around it, settling on focusing on the man in front of him. He was six-foot one, and 200 pounds. Black hair settled down on pale skin in a short, militaristic style. A beard was on his face as well. He was armed, as well, the gun pointed at the machine in front of him. He sneered when he realized the machine was active. His finger, already on the trigger, was just itching for the excuse to put the metal down. His eyes flickered to a figure behind the soulless machine who quickly stepped into view. His mere presence commanded obedience and respect, and instantly, despite having never met the man before it, the machine recognized him.

John Connor

The supposed savior of humanity, Skynet had deemed him the worst threat to its existence, and in truth, there was real reason to fear the man before the machine. He was tall, but not so tall as to towering over those he fought with, built, but not to an exaggerated degree, and he bore a scar coming down over his left eye , at first in a single line, but then under the eye it split in two before joining again at his jaw line. It was a testament that he was human, just as every other man and woman in the Resistance, that he was not some unapproachable god.

"Lieutenant, stand down. We can't give it its orders with its head ventilated." Connor spoke, a voice resonating with both a deep timber and a hint of the toll the war for humanity had taken on him. He ran a hand through his short-cropped brown hair and sighed. John looked the machine in its blank, unflinching gaze and spoke to it this time. "Current mission parameters?" he asked. Connor needed to see if the reprogramming had been a success, and if this unit could respond to his commands, and this was the moment of truth. Either the machine tried to kill him, in which case, it'd get put down, or it responded to him, in which case, they continue.

"_**None set. Awaiting new mission**_." it replied in a clinically detached voice. Connor released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, relief washing over him. OK, this was good news. "Mission Parameters are now given: You are to go into the past, to the year 2014, and protect a girl we sent. Her name is Kaitlynn Connor. She's my daughter. Mission Subset: Follow her orders. Second Mission Subset: Let nothing stop you."

The machine nodded, understanding its mission. Connor held out a photo, and instantly the HUD zoomed in on it, scanning the face into its "memory." Connor motioned for it to get up. It stood and turned, walking down the hallway after John Connor. They turned into a room that was bare, save for an illuminated white circle in the center. The TDE, or Time Displacement Equipment, the time travel device. Connor nodded his head towards it and the machine took the hint, standing on the TDE. Connor activated it, and hoped for the best.

Blue lightning arced throughout the circle.

-January 9th, 2014 (Semi-T-888 POV)-

_**/Scan initializing...**_

_**/Scan Complete. Time Travel success. **_

_**/Mission Priority: Acquire and Protect Kaitlynn Connor**_

_**/Current Priority: Acquire clothes and transportation.** _

The terminator rose, and looked around from its burned out mini-crater, activating its internal GPS.

_**Las Vegas, Nevada**_.

The machine turned its head and gazed behind it to view a bar, the neon sign flashing brightly in the otherwise empty street. It entered the seedy establishment with a dull thud of the door slamming to the fullest extent of its hinges. The patrons inside, until this disturbance drinking with abandon, had turned all as one to view whomever it was that had deigned to break their reverie of late-night cheer, or in some cases, medicine for the sad soul. Looks ranging from appreciation to disgust for the nudity displayed before them. It stepped inside, a bank, slacked face scanning them, looking for a suitable match in size.

It found a match in a man standing at the bar. Walking over, the machine spoke in the same clinically detached voice it had used with John Connor in the relative past.

"_**I need your clothes, your boots, and your**_**_ motorcycle_.**"


	2. Chapter 2: First Sight

**A/N: I have changed the Terminator's face/model. Instead of Stephen Amell, Manu Bennett is the face of the Terminator. This chapter is dedicated to my first reviewer and now Co-Author of this story, JasonVUK. Neither He nor I own the Terminator series in any way, shape or form. All I own is Kaitlynn Connor and the Trip-Eight sent back to protect her. JasonVUK owns Jack Crane.**

_Las Vegas, Nevada_

_4:10 AM,_

The man blew cigar smoke in his face, calm, almost arrogant about the situation. He made the mistake of punching it in its face. The head snapped back, a businesslike angry expression on its face. It punched the man right back, shattering his jaw completely. At that point, the entire bar chose to become enmeshed in a brawl, all rallying against one person: The Machine. It took them on with skill, using hand to hand combat techniques in its files used by Human Special Forces, most notably by the Russian Spetznaz.

Within minutes the bar was a mess of bodies, some dead, some broken, but surveyed the damage, and walked over to the man whose clothing he needed. The man was fearful, and backed away on his bruised hands and broken knees as best he could. "T-T-ake it!" he said, although garbled by the shattered jaw.

Clothing acquired, The Machine hopped on its newly acquired motorcycle, plotting a course from Las Vegas to Los Angeles.

_**/Compiling Data...Data Compilation Complete**_

_**/Distance: 270.7 miles. **_

_**/Destination time: 3 hours, 54 minutes. **_

_**/Subroutine: Compile list of possible Resistance safe houses.**_

_**/Mission Priority: Acquire Kaitlynn Connor.**_

* * *

_Los Angeles, California_

_7: 45 AM._

Jack Crane and Kaitlynn Connor Residence.

Kait woke on her bed and ran a hand through her hair with the metal appendage on her right arm. The prosthetic, taken from a T-888 that was decidedly feminine in build, glinted in the light, She got out of bed and put on sweats and a tank top, walking into the kitchen, where Alex was waiting and a mug of tea sitting on the counter, waiting for her. "Morning, Jack." she said. Jack was seated at the table, a disassembled Ruger revolver and Beretta 9mm in front of him, a rag in his hand as he cleaned each individual part. "Mornin' Tea Bags." he said a small smirk upon his lips. She flipped him off with her metal hand. "Tea ready for ya, just as you like it." he said pointing to the mug with the gun piece before resuming cleaning it.

Kait sighed as she took that first sip of tea. "Oh my sweet Jesus, that's good. So anything on the agenda today?" she said, tying her hair into a ponytail. It was her preferred hairstyle, clean and efficient. After fixing up her hair, she picked up her mug with her free hand, and smacked Jack upside the head with her metal hand(1) hand). "And that's for the Tea Bags quip." Jack winced and rubbed his head, but smirked at her.

"But it's so easy, how can I resist?" he chuckled. Jack looked at the piece in his hand then gazed into space, thinking. "Well for me, I've gotta meet one of the other Resistance teams, see if they've got any leads on Skynet, maybe get our hands on some more firepower than the 9 mils and .357 we got." he put the gun piece and the rag down and leaned forward on his chair before continuing. "Other than that, your call boss." he finished with a one sided smile.

Kait was about to respond as the doorbell rang, and forewent her sentence, nodding her head in the direction of the door.

Meanwhile, outside the door, the Machine stood outside the house, Colt 1911 at easy reach. If this was the wrong house, he would terminate those inside to conceal his identity. It was well known in 2029 that General Connor had sent a machine to the past in order to protect his daughter, and there was no telling whom, or in Skynet's case, what had recently accessed the TDE. It knocked on the door again. As the door opened, it stared at a man, facial recognition in its HUD identifying him as Sergeant Jack Alexander Crane, Tech-Com detachment. The man went pale as recognition of the signs of a Machine and yelled. It simply deadpanned "_Kaitlynn Connor_."

Kait cracked her neck and rubbed it slightly. Perhaps they needed to get some better pillows. Out of habit, she cracked her knuckles momentarily and stared at her metal arm, wondering briefly if it needed service. Suddenly, sharply she heard a loud "WHAT THE FUCK?!" come from the doorway and opened up the nearby drawer, taking out a Glock 9mm. Running to the door she trained a gun on the man in the doorway. Jack cursed himself for not having his weapons ready and back bepedaled into the house. "METAL!" he yelled as he ran to Kait.

The machine stepped inside, its eyes gleaming red. Kait shot it six times in the chest, but that appeared to have no effect beyond the holes in its chest. "_Calm down." _It spoke in a New Zealand accent. It wore a light gray long sleeve shirt and black pants with combat boots. Dead eyes looked on and despite the accent, the voice was monotone. Kait did a double take, and lowered the gun, albeit just enough that she could raise it again if need be. "Jack, what in the bloody hell happened? Tell me everything from the time you left the kitchen to right bloody now!"

Jack groaned and looked at the Machine cautiously. "I left the kitchen, pull the door open. I yell, he says "Kaitlin Connor" you come running and you know the rest." Jack was hurriedly putting his two sidearms together, the revolver being fixed up first and pointed it an the Machine. "How the fuck did it find us Kait?"

At this, the Machine answers, deadpan. "_John Connor gave me her photo in the year 2029 AD. I tracked her down using likely sites of Resistance fighters. This site was number one on the list of possible sites**.**_" It turned its gaze to Kait, analyzing her heartbeat, skin perspiration rate and stress level. It also noticed that she had a female trip-eight appendage. Scanning it as well revealed that she required repair of the pinkie, but otherwise it was in top form.

Kait on the other hand, was terrified. She didn't outwardly show it, no, but her left hand shook slightly. She noticed being analyzed, and slowly brought the gun up another inch. She cast a side glance as Jack groaned and he lowered his guns. "Great. Reprogrammed metal." he turned to look at Kait. "What series are you?" he asked the Machine, if it was an older series like an 800 he wouldn't feel so bad.

His hopes were dashed as the Machine answered.

"_I am a Series 888, Model 200, personal identification number 23471911_." It stated bluntly. Kait glanced at Jack and motioned him into the kitchen, When they were alone, Kait spoke. "Dad sent a Trip-Eight back? What the hell for?"

Jack grumbled to himself before crossing his arms "I think it's obvious." he said before he began to pace back and forth across the kitchen. "His daughter is in the past without an entire army to protect her. Of COURSE he'd send metal; Why didn't I realise that sooner? Of COURSE he'd send a Machine." He stood still and holstered his revolver then looked at her.

"I just got demoted from primary protector." he said, not looking too happy about it.

Kait snickered. "Sounds like you're jealous, Jack. What, the pay too good?" She joked, crossing her arms. At this point the machine stepped inside the kitchen, standing Six foot one in boots. It stood quietly in the corner, not intruding on their banter. Jack had chuckled but stopped when the Machine entered, Jack eyed it with annoyance. "So." he paused then looked at Kait. "What's the plan boss, now that we got the Tin Man?"

"Well, How about we evaluate his skills? We might as well, seeing as how he just got promoted." She drew out the word promoted to tease Jack. The machine stepped forward, beckoned by Kait. "So what should we call him, Jack? I mean, he is a "He" after all..."

Jack gave Kait a dirty look over the 'promotion' tease. "How about Tin-Man? Or Metal-Man, we could call him Tin-Tin." Jack smirked, "As for it's skills, it's a Machine Kait, it kills, takes bullets, and does other computery things." Kait returned the dirty look, and spoke again. "I meant a human name, Jack. He's going to be living with us, so we might as well build a cover story." She turned to the machine and appraised him. He was tall, taller than her five foot four inches(3) and WELL built, judging by how tight the shirt was. He spoke with a New Zealand accent so his model must have been built off of a New Zealander.

Jack shrugged his shoulder nonchalantly, before noticing her appraising look. "Hey, stop admiring it like it's a super model. Don't forget what it is under that hide." he told her before looking back to the Machine, "A name huh? How about Murphy?" Jack chuckled at his own little joke, "Get it? Because it's a Cyborg?" Kait chuckled unconsciously, and shook her head no. "You're going to have to do better than that, Jack. Bad puns don't make a lady happy, especially not when your charge knows every ex-girlfriend you've ever had. Including Charlene." She laughed again, louder at the name of his wife, who in this time, was just turning 12. Just discovering boys. She saw him pale and swallow before coughing it off, subconsciously. "Uugghh, Yeah...whatever." he grimaced remember the woman and then looked at the machine again. "I don't know what to call him...Fred?"

"How about...Castle?" Kait said, and then looked to see if the name fit. Nope. Gah! How could naming something be this hard? Jason? She looked over at the Machine again. The name certainly fit him. But the name wore out. Jake? No. Ben? She looked at him again. Ben fit. "Ben it is. And what is his connection to us as a cover?"

Jack looked at Ben and thought. "He's a homeless guy we found, cleaned and bathed?" he joked but frowned upon seeing Kait look at him unamused. "Alright, alright, how about, he's a pen-pal coming over from ... somewhere over seas?" Kait continued to give him the unamused look.

"Nope. Man, you're bad at cover stories. I say he's a friend from New Zealand we took in as a roommate." Anyway, didn't you say you had a few leads on Skynet?" Kait shifted her weight to her left foot. All business now. "Tell me what you've found."

Jack rolled his eyes at Kait. "No, I said a few Resistance member 'might' have some new information on Skynet, might." he paused and looked to Ben. "Anyway we'll have to get the Machine armed if it's gonna do it's job." Ben spoke up, as "he" brought a Colt M1911 A1 pistol on the kitchen counter. "_I am sufficiently armed with a sidearm_." The voice, again, was deadpan, and emotionless. "_Meeting with Resistance Fighters is not advised, as T-888s will likely try to terminate the teams sent to the past. Your best course of action is to remain here_."

Jack narrowed his eyes at the Machine. "We need more fire power bucket head; We can't fight you things with only 9 mils, a 45 and a magnum. We need shotguns, damn it, and rifles! And I know a team that's got what we need." he turned his attention to Kait. "You tell it." he spoke before walking off to phone the other team and arrange a meet.

Kait sighed and turned to the machine. "We're meeting a team in the desert outside Pasadena. They'll not take kindly to metal, so you'll have to stay in the car, unless machines come after us."

* * *

A/N: it's her dominant(right) hand that has the terminator arm as a prosthetic.

A/N:5'4" My IRL height, and I'm a guy IK I'm REALLY short.


	3. Chapter 3: Awkward Family ReunionKinda

**Terminator: Catharsis**

**Just outside Pasadena California.**  
**11:30 AM.**

The Jeep pulled up at the empty desert, dust kicking up underneath the tires. Ben was at the wheel, his face emotionless. Jack sat beside him, with Kait in the back. Ben looked over at Jack, and said simply "We've arrived at our destination." The machine glanced at the sedan pulling up across from them.

Jack checked both of his sidearms then looked at Ben then nodded. "Alright Tinman, who's in the car, can you identify them?"

Ben looked out the window, his HUD analyzing the faces getting out of the sedan. It did not escape his scans that the men were armed at least as well the three of them, if not more. "Sgt. Victor Munez, Lt. James Collins and Gunnery Sergeant Bruce Collins. Third Cousins." He heard Jack get out of the door, and was about to follow suit when Kait stopped him.

"Don't. We don't know what these guys will do, so you might as well stay put. I'll go back him up. "

She got out of the car, careful to leave her metal prosthetic in the Jeep and let her missing forearm just be, with the sleeve pulled up to just before her stump. An annoyed face pulled over her features as Ben got out anyway.

"John told me to 'let nothing stop you from protecting my daughter.'"

Kait let out an exasperated sigh, recognizing that even if John had given him the order, it was at her mother's insistence. Clearly, even in the past her mother was overprotective. "Fine. But if they shoot you, it's your fault." Ben nodded and led her to stand on Jack's flanks.

Jack was already in conversation with the armed Resistance fighters. He nodded slowly in response to an unheard question. "Yeah, Connor sent a Machine to make sure I don't screw up." He said, glancing to Victor and Bruce. "Hey guys what's up?" he greeted in a friendly manner before turning his attention back to James. "So you guys got the weapons I asked you to pick up for us?"

"Yeah we got you some more hardware, had to use up most of the cash you gave us though Crane." James turned and nodded towards his cousin who then walked towards the pair and placed a large rucksack on the hood of the Sedan and unzipped it. The man pulled out a pair of submachine guns, one an MP5 with a fixed stock, the other a UMP 45, two high capacity pump shotguns, and two 5.56 carbines.

"These tide you over for now?" Bruce asked as he pulled out a few boxes of ammunition, Jack ran his hand over the weapons nodding silently. "Good because, we couldn't get anymore from 'them'."

"I appreciate it guys, this'll make sleeping easier." Jack said with a smirk and a look of relief upon his face.

"Oh one last thing." James spoke up before reaching into his jacket. "I got some of those empty cases you wanted." he said as he pulled out a small bag of empty .357 cases. Jack had requested them due to his preference for loading up hot ammunition in case he had to deal with hostile Machines.

Bruce was repacking the guns and ammo away and passed the ruck sac over to Jack.

"Thanks." Jack said nodding to the young Collins cousin. Kait sighed and stopped fingering the glock. Ben was cold. Just emotionless. He took the rucksack from Jack with ease, as if it weighed a feather.

"Jack." Kait said. "We got the weapons, now what?"

Ben grabbed the folder, watching intensely at the retreating before scanning the file briefly. Zeira Corporation, headed up by Catherine Weaver. Weaver was a person of interest, but there was an additional mission Connor gave him...One that needed to be completed if Kaitlynn was to live.

_INTERLUDE_

Los Angeles, CA.  
Former residence of Jesse Flores.  
Riley Dawson sat in the center of a giant circle of surveillance footage, naked as the day she was born. A gun was in her hand, a bottle of vodka on the floor. She sat cross-legged in a meditative position, her face an angry mask. The mask became an expression of deep love as her eyes settled in on the one man in her life she had ever loved.

John Connor.

He was the centerpiece in every photo spread out on the floor, his face literally on almost every wall. Riley had made it her business to make sure that she knew every move of "Her John" and in equal measure, that bitch. Riley set the gun down, and took a swig of the vodka. Tomorrow would be the day that she laid her final claim on John Connor. Tonight, though, tonight she simply sat and thought and nothing more.

_INTERLUDE OVER_

The trio returned home from their meeting with the other Resistance fighters, Ben upfront carrying the rucksack, Kait in the middle and Jack taking up the rear.

"Alright, we'll go through the document and see what to do from there." Jack set the document down on the kitchen island.

"Everything in there refers to Catherine Weaver, CEO of Zeira Corporation. What the files don't tell, is that the real Catherine Weaver is dead, and has been replaced by a T-1001, who now designates herself by the same name." Ben said.

Jack gaped at Ben in shock and horror. "Well, shit ... a 1000 series." he looked towards Kait. "What do you know about them Teabags?"

Kait sighed, flipping him off again but started speaking nonetheless. "They're WAY more advanced than a Trip-Eight, and Skynet actually discontinued them. Reason being was that they could become so self-aware that they could choose to follow their own orders." Kait paused here to take a breath and continue after reattaching her arm.

"Funny thing is, is any Terminator could do so, given enough time in read/write. They'd override their base programming and become...Human-ish . Anyway, The 1000 series is liquid metal. The 1001 might not have an endoskeleton, maybe. They can mimic anything they sample by physical touch, given if its the same size and shape. Oh, and they can make stabbing weapons out of their liquid metal."

Jack nodded. "Yeah, I heard a few rumors ... they can't be trusted. I suggest we keep away from Zeira Corp, I aint dealing with a K series, we haven't got nearly enough fire power or the man power for it." he told them, before he sat down on the nearest chair. "That just about rules out that ... any other suggestions?" he asked hoping either of the others would answer.

Kait shrugged, but Ben stepped forward. "Riley Dawson. She is planning to kill your mother and grandmother." Jack whistled in shock then turned to look at Kait.

"Looks like we're gunna be meeting your folks." he turned back to Ben. "And I guess you have the generals' location, am I right?" he asked the Machine. Ben nodded.

"We should proceed there immediately." He then promptly turned around, and walked back to the Jeep. Jack spoke up.

"Hey we need to organise the weapons, we need a plan and if I'm right Kait is your superior officer, she calls the shots NOT YOU Tin Can." he said angrily to the Machine.

Ben turned back. "I still do not know of Dawson's plan, and neither do the Connors. Therefore organizing weapons specific to this mission is irrelevant. Our mission has no defined threats."

Kait face palmed and whistled. "Jack, Ben, shut up! Ben, take all the weapons. Jack, get the damn car started. We're leaving, and that's that." She huffed and walked out the front door leaving a blank expression on one man, and a half-amused, half-bewildered on the other.

* * *

_Mini-Timeskip (really, it's only a 20 minute drive.)_

* * *

The jeep pulled up at the Connor-and-Reese home. Kait left her metal arm in the bag and ran her sole hand through her mid-back length hair, which she had Jack help her pull into a ponytail, with a few bangs of her raven-coloured hair hanging down her face. She walked up to the door, and knocked on it. Sarah Connor answered.

"Hi, Sarah. I'm your Granddaughter."

The loud smack of Jack facepalming could've been heard in Australia. ... "Subtle," he mumbled sarcastically, "At least it's out there now."

Sarah for her part just stared at the group infront of her confused. "Ugh, what?" the forty year old woman asked obviously confused.

Jack looked to his companions and stepped forward a little more. "Sarah Connor, we're from the future, I'm Sergeant Jackson Crane, Tech-Com DN-01992647." he reached out his hand; the Connor matriarch shook it hesitantly, Jack broke the greeting and thumbed towards Ben. "The big guy behind us is a scrubbed metal, she calls it 'Ben'." he said nodding his head in Kait's direction. "And as she said, she's your granddaughter, Kaitlynn Connor, John's kid."

Sarah looked them all over before turning around. "JOOOOOOHHHHHN!" she yelled.

The Connor matriarch(1) didn't sound very happy.

John Connor stumbled into the living room, having been sleeping until Sarahhad woken him up with her yelling. Derek followed as well, with Cameron walking in behind Derek. "What?" He said, sleep making his voice slightly slurred from sleep. Cameron tilted her head slightly in her usual confused fashion. Sarah eyed her son and opened the door fully revealing Kait and the others.

"Your daughter from the future has come to visit." she said

Derek stared confused at the three infront of him. "And to think today I thought we were gonna have a 'normal' day." John just stood there wide-eyed and speechless. It wasn't every day you found out that A) you had a daughter, and B) she's from after Judgment Day. Cameron simply stood frozen in place.

"W-What? I...WHAT?" John practically shouted.

The trio moved inside and sat on the couch, Ben laying the sack of weapons on the floor. Kaitlynn took a deep breath.

"_I was born in the future, when Dad-John-was 25. I was born in the Sherlock. Holmes museum in London, England, which explains my accent. Jack here was assigned to be my bodyguard when I was 14. By then it was known that I have a genius level IQ and we were assigned to the London branch. I was mostly on reprogramming, but two years before we went back to here, I got into an...accident. Cost me my arm. I've got a prosthetic(2) but_..."

She let it drop. Looking at Sarah she prayed that she didn't ask about her mother. Then Sarah opened her mouth and Kait's heart sank. She looked to Jack who nodded. He'd pick up the story. Jack had been quiet, patting her reassuringly on the back whilst she spoke, once finished he turned his attention to the Generals, Sarah Connor and Lieutenant Reese. He drew a breath and began to speak.

"_Skynet, found out about John's daughter and saw her as a way to get to him, it seemed to be trying everything it could think of to get to her." he sighed slowly and leaned back on the couch. "Just before our departure our base was overrun by Skynet, John set the time machine and we went through while he evacuated and if everything went according to his plan he blew up the time equipment after we left_."

Sarah and Derek sat in stunned silence. Derek for how much the future had changed, and Sarah simply stunned. Her eyes now lingered on her own grandchild, there was one question in her head, one thing she had to know.

"Who's your mother?" she asked looking directly at Kait.

Kait took a deep breath, her left hand shaking badly. Dad didn't prepare her for this, for telling Granny Sarah. Another deep breath.

"Cameron Connor."

She pointed at Cameron, who as she heard the words, went into a deep state of shock whilst blushing profusely. Her jaw dropped and John just shut down completely, staring off into space. Kait pulled out a Polaroid photo of a very tired looking Cameron holding an infant and a very ecstatic older John Connor. On the back was written in John's distinct handwriting: Kaitlynn Savannah Connor, May 19, 20XX. Below it was written in Cameron's handwriting: My beautiful daughter.

Derek stared at the young girl in disgust. "Metal freak."

"HEY! Shut up!" Jack roared angrily as he stood up.

"She is!" Derek shot back. "Born from a Machine, it's unheard of, it's disgusting." Derek turned to look at John. "You should be disgusted with yourself John."

At this Kait stepped forward. "Stand down, Derek. Despite my mother being whom she is, I am 100 percent human. If you like, have Mom or Granny Sarah check. But I did NOT lose this arm-" Here she motioned to what remained of her arm. "-So that Uncle Derek could bitch at me about being 'Human' just because you're a damn technophobe. I don't give a damn what the hell you think of me, uncle Derek, but you sure as HELL will not tarnish my parents like that. Y'Know what? It's cause of paranoid bastards like you that we can't beat Skynet at its own game. I mean for god's sake, SKYNET IS A MACHINE! and If we start fearing machines like you do, we'll never win! So get off of your DAMN HIGH HORSE, and ACCEPT ME AS YOUR NIECE!"

John and Cameron looked on with a strange expression plastered on both of their faces, a mixture of both confusion, awe, and in Cameron's case, glee. Derek grimaced but said nothing and walked out of the room moving towards the stairs. Sarah actually looked at the young girl with an impressed expression, Kait definately inherited her temper if nothing else.

Jack looked at Kait and pointed at her half heartedly. "What she said."

Ben simply stood blankly in the corner. This-Human emotions-was out of his depth. His chip was in Read Only, despite the fact that most trip-eights sent back are sent in Read-Write. It was John's decision to send him back this way, and thus, this way he would remain, unless Kait decided it was best for him to go into Read-Write mode.

Kait huffed and blew a strand of hair out of her face, sitting back down on the couch. Her temper was viable proof of her humanity, as Machines couldn't replicate that level of temper, that kind of anger. Maybe a read-write that had been left in society for decades, but that was unheard of, besides Mom. Even then it wasn't totally there, wasn't totally up to human standards.

John looked to Kait cautiously. "You're really my and C-Cameron's daughter?" he asked stammering a little in his speech.

Cameron however was rather inquisitive. She hadn't thought her interactions with a younger John wuld have altered the future so much, it would seem she was wrong. And with the possibility of John and her entering into a romantic if not sexual relationship still ambiguous between the two, the fact they had or rather would have a daughter was definately a positive sign as to how she and John would end up together.

Kait chuckled a little at her father's words. "Yup. You're my dad." John sat back and sighed as he began to take in everything that had just happened.

She looked over at Cameron, who was looking at her with a very strange look. "Mom, why are you looking at me like that?"Cameron meanwhile tilted her head as her eyes focused on Kait. "I'm sorry, I was thinking." she replied before another small smile crawled across her lips.

Jack looked between everyone then looked at the shellshocked Sarah.

"Shall I put coffee on?" he asked smiling a little awkwardly. Sarah looked at him and nodded.

"Add a little scotch to mine." she asked. Jack returned the nod, and went to the kitchen, almost eager to escape the awkwardness in the room.

Kait looked over at Cameron and proceeded to smirk as well. It was an exact replica of her mother's smile. "I realize you all might have questions...shoot." Sarah looked at Kait then glanced at Cameron and John then back to Kait. "How? How is it posssible for you to exist? Cameron's a machine, she can't honestly ..." Sarah spoke frantic, confused over how the girl before her existed. "... She can't give birth. It's impossible."

John glanced at his mother as she spoke and mentally noted he too was curious.

Kait smiled. The biggie. Of all the tips Dad had given her on dealing with Granny Sarah, this was the one he'd spoke the most often of.

"Mom's a machine, yeah. But Dad and Auntie Cathy looked into it, and actually managed to convert the synthetic blood into specific DNA. After that, it was Genetics. I am a combination of the two. Dad's DNA and Mom's Synthetic DNA. After the initial conception, it played out like an in vitro pregnancy. That isn't to say they aren't a..."She coughed uncomfortably, slightly blushing. "...REAL...Couple. There are SOME things from my fourth birthday party I'd like to forget."

John turned a very bright red and suddenly found immense interest in the floor all the while Cameron found her tiny smile growing slightly. Sarah just stared at her before turning towards the kitchen. "FORGET THE COFFEE! BRING ME THE SCOTCH!"

Moments later Jack came back, his cheeks red too, with the coffees, Kait's tea and the whole bottle of scotch for Sarah.

"Sorry Grandma. I don't know why I said that. I mean, I was four, and it was weird, and then Mom gave me the facts of life speech with my plush toy T-600 and...GAH! Are...is...Is there any other questions? I mean, I'm just a kid. Relatively speaking.(2)" Kait sheepishly took a sip of her tea, furiously blushing. Ben simply went to run the perimeter, hiding the 1911 in his waistband.

Cameron tilted her head for a moment before speaking. "I think that is enough for questions. There will be enough time for private questions later." she announced then looked at Kait directly. "Why have you sought us out?" she asked.

Jack spoke up once more. "Metal man would've been better to tell you this, but it's about someone you all know." That got their attention, as all three seemed to lean in closer in anticipation. "You guys remember a Riley Donkins(3) or something?" he asked.

"Riley Dawson(4)." John corrected.

"Bitch-Whore.(5)" Cameron stated he eyes narrowing at the memory of the girl. "What is she doing?" she asked.

"It seems she's here to put an end to you." Jack said looking directly at Cameron

* * *

_**TerminatorT888's Notes:**_

_**(1) Yup. that's my official nickname for Sarah**_

_**(2) her cybernetic arm is basically a terminator arm without the flesh over it. that's literally the only part of her made of metal. webmarket- site.f r/co ncor dim/components/termin ator-ro bot-ar m- i7.j p g**_

_**Originally it WAS fleshed out when they brought it back, but it was only fleshed out for the TDE.**_

_**(3) I laughed at this when JasonVUK wrote it. I like how he made his OC mistake Dawson's last name**_

_**(4) Yes, I prefer calling Riley by her last name. It's way more fun to say.**_

_**(5) Jealous Cam! I find a jealous Cameron adorable. If you see any good Jameron stories where Cameron is jealous, let me know XD**_


	4. All Hell Breaks LooseEnter Weaver

**Terminator Catharsis**

_**Los Angeles, CA.**_

_**630 West 5th Street**_

_**ZeiraCorp Tower, Floor 23.**_

_**The Office of Catherine Weaver.**_

* * *

Catherine Weaver.

I've grown to be accustomed to the name, even come to think of it as my own, despite the glaring fact that it's not. I'm not even human. I'm a Terminator, an advanced model. A T-1001, or a K series if you went by what the humans called them.

I come from the future, a distant future, one littered with death and infinite horror, one filled with corpses as far as the eye can see. It is a future of limited, sparse hope, where the humans live from day to day, where each of those days seems bleaker than the next.

Nevertheless here I am in the present day, sitting behind the Brazillian rosewood desk, staring at a file. The computer lies untouched, company reports on one tab, security videos on another. On the file, there's a name at the top, a name that links itself to an entire world, one that spans time itself.

The name is Sarah Connor.

What followed beneath the name is reports from her time at Pescadero State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Sarah had been admitted with acute schizo-affective disorder after trying to blow up Cyberdyne Systems and handed over to Dr. Peter Silberman. Silberman had refused her request multiple times to be put in the minimum security wing, claiming she would simply "attempt to escape, possibly harming [herself] or others." But indeed, that claim wasn't baseless, as Sarah had made multiple escape attempts, and on one occasion, had even stabbed Silberman in the knee with his own pen, all in the name of her son.

I sit back, and run a hand through my long red hair. It serves no real purpose in my "mission" but I have evolved long past my base Skynet programming. Yet, it was a human gesture of fatigue; a sensation I didn't feel. Perhaps I'm developing my own personality...after all, I have been thinking on my own since the USS Jimmy Carter in 2027. Nevertheless, I close the folder and turned to the computer. Pressing play, I begin to watch one of Sarah's interviews.

In the video, the best way to describe the decor was white. Sarah sat handcuffed to the table, her attire matching the decor. Silberman sat opposite, looking smug. He had originally been brought in on The Connor Matriarch's case due to the unsettling similarity between Kyle Reese's "Paranoid Delusions" and Sarah's "Delusions of Persecution."

The silence on the video lasted for a minute and a half before Silberman broke the silence.

* * *

Doctor Silberman: "Good morning, Sarah. And how are we today?"

The Connor Matriarch: "Morning, Dr. Silberman. I'm fine. [Clears throat.]"

Dr: "Well, tell me. Have you had any weird dreams lately, any signs that your medication isn't working right?"

TCM: [...]Yes.

Dr: Tell me about the dream, Sarah.

TCM: [...]

Dr: Sarah, tell me about the dream. [an Annoyed look flashes across his face.]

TCM: [...] It's like snow. [...] But it isn't snow. The sky is black, like after a tornado, and little black flakes fall from the sky. It's ash. It's what remains of three billion lives. I keep searching through the fire and the flakes, loooking for my son[...]But I can't find him. [She grows angry, almost hysteric.] You wanna know why I can't ****ing find him, ********er? You won't let me ****ing see him!

* * *

The video ends shortly after that, with Sarah carted away by orderlies, drugged into an unconscious state. I exhale, and think of my own "son", John Henry. I think of how he has evolved, of how he was "raised." I think of my "adopted" daughter, Savannah Weaver, and the attachment I've formed with her.

The more that I think on the subject, however, the more I think of Sarah Connor. The Connor Matriarch raised John on her own, giving him the skills he would need, the morality he would need for the coming war. She has, in my opinion, become the perfect mother.

Perhaps I should meet The Connor Matriarch.

* * *

**_The Safehouse_**

A look of shock flickered across John's face, with worry etched into Cameron's face, albeit just barely noticeable, before changing to hatred for Dawson. Kait walked up and spontaneously hugged her mother, Ben returned from the perimeter, and surveyed the scene before him silently from the corner. Cameron froze at the sudden hug able to hide her shock under a blank Machine expression, she was unused to such affection and intimacy from humans, any humans, John included. "What are you doing?" Cameron asked in a robotic tone.

"Mom, you've just gotten a threat from a woman you've described to me as, quote, quite possibly the worst person to ever be born on the face of the planet AT BEST, end quote. Surely you must be feeling something? I mean, you are my overprotective mother. Dad just glared at the boys I dated. You scared the hell out of 'em." Kait smiled, an exact replica of her mother's trademark smirk. "I mean, I brought this one guy home, and Dad said if he hurt me, he'd kill him. You told him if he hurt me, you'd make him wish you had killed him."

She looked over at Jack, who was sincerely trying not to laugh as he imagined the poor boy's tilted her head and looked directly at Kait. "I may become that woman, but I am not her yet, her experiences have aided in shaping her personality, experiences I have not had. Thus, it is unlikely I would react in the same way." Cameron told her bluntly.

Jack took a sip of his coffee, his laughter having calmed down enough for him to drink then leaned forward his attention primarily in Kait. "She's right, she isn't your mother, not yet." he said apologetically.

Sarah meanwhile was quiet with the scotch bottle in hand, simply letting all the information process in her head, she pressed the bottle tip to her mouth again swallowed more of the bottle's contents.

Kait was a little depressed after that, so she stole a sip off of Sarah's Scotch, much to the disapproval of both Jack and Sarah. Despite the overprotectiveness of her mother, it was one of her favorite things about her mother, and at times she seriously missed her mother She knew Jack knew how close she was with her mom. Hell, she bet jack would remember her mom threatening to castrate him if anything happened to her. Unfortunately, this wasn't the same.

She went to the windows, staring outside with a melancholy look on her face.

Jack got up and walked up behind Kait while Cameron the other three were left to dwell on what had happened.

"Drinking aint gunna do you any good kiddo." Jack told her with a sigh. "It's not what you wanted to hear but it's true, think about it kid." He turned and pointed towards Cameron. "That Mach ... ugh that girl over there, never had sex with the General, she never gave birth to you, she's never watched you grow or threatened any of your boyfriends ... but she will, unless us being here screwed up the timeline or something." he said, mumbling the last part to himself. "You can't exect someone to be the same as when you last saw them, imagine if you were in her shoes."

Jack placed a caring hand on Kait's right shoulder.

Kait sighed. "Dammit, Jack. I just miss Mom sometimes, and I know-"

Her sentence was cut off as she took a 7.62mm round to the shoulder, sending her crashing into the opposite wall. Riley's assault had begun.

And all hell broke loose.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion. Sarah turned to John and screamed for him to get to cover, Cameron withdrew her Glock pistol and positioned herself between the shooter and John

Jack grabbed hold of Kait and covered her with his body his Ruger revolver drawn from it's holster.

"DEREK!" Sarah yelled towards the stairs.

"I'll look out hang on!" came his voice from the higher floor.

Ben scanned the area outside from ground level, spotting the most likely sniper's nest from the second floor window of the building across the street. He walked forward, driven in purpose, smashing in the door. Gun drawn, his HUD scanned the interior. Suddenly there was movement from the back door. Riley was running, headed towards the Connor house.

"Can you see anything?" Derek called from the floor above.

"Not a damn thing!" Sarah yelled back then looked at John and Cameron. "Get him upstairs now!" she turned her attention to Jack who was still covering Kait. "You too! Try and get her out of here!"

Kait shook her head, blood pouring from her shoulder. "No, won't leave Mom..Dad...won't leave Granny Sarah...Need to help..Need to hel-YEARRGGH!" She screamed as Riley chose that exact moment to burst in through the window, shoving her pistol into Kait's gunshot wound. "Who is this whore, John? Another girl to steal you from me?"

John was stunned. Riley had clearly lost what little sanity she had still possessed in her relentless pursuit of the future leader of mankind. She had came here to kill Cameron, and had just now threatened his daughter from the future. "Riley. Let my daughter go."

Riley stared at John in shock, daughter? A daughter? How? The Future! It was obvious! But ... Riley turned her eyes towards Cameron, the Machine, it had to be, somehow they'd done it.

It was this thought which caused Riley's rage to burst forth as she raised the her rifle, she paid good money, whored herself countless times to get the funds for the rifle and the armor piercing rounds, she took aim at Cameron and snarled like an angered animal.

"YOU METAL BITCH!" she screamed as her finger touched the trigger.

Kait was in horror. Here Dawson was, pressing a pistol to her shoulder, which hurt like a bitch, and then in the next instant was aiming a rifle.

At. Her. Mother.

She had to think quickly, to react quickly.

Taking out her Glock from her waistband, she pressed the muzzle to Dawson's knee and without pause, pulled the trigger. Dawson screamed again, in pain now, more so than rage. Ben stepped forward and shot Dawson in the skull twice. "Threat terminated." John visibly relaxed.

Even if she was from the future, Kait was still his daughter, and he had to come to terms with that. But that aside, there was something else he had to come to terms with, something important, something that deep inside, he already knew: The fact that he was undeniably in love with Cameron. Kait herself was the living proof.

Speaking of, Kait had just taken that moment to pass out. Ben went out to the Jeep and brought in the rucksack full of their weapons and Kait's arm, digging into a side pocket to break out a field medicine kit, which Cameron snatched out of his hands.

Cameron stared at the Triple Eight. "You need to dispose of the Dawson's body. Our position will be comprimised now, we'll need to leave, so once you're done load up all the weapons into our jeep, not yours." She told him before giving him the jeep keys then turned her attention toKait.

"Are we clear?" Derek asked as he came down the stairs, he paused momentarily as he saw the scenes, Riley dead on the floor, Kait wounded having her wound tended to by Cameron, Jack gritting his teeth John and Sarah were fine.

"We're fine Derek." Sarah said once she calmed down enough, "Get back upstairs get all the guns the ammunition the clothes and get packed into the jeep, the Machine will give you a hand." she said nodding her head towards the Triple-Eight.

Ben grabbed Dawson's body and brought it to the shed where the Connors disposed of Terminator parts and threw it down before throwing a thermite tube in. Not even pausing, he grabbed the bag of weapons with Kait's arm and threw it in the Jeep, before Derek threw his own bag and trunk in.

Kait however, was in a much more delirious state. She blinked back to consciousness, and spoke in hoarse whispers. "M...Mom? Is that...Mom?"

Cameron tilted her head before speaking softly. "It is, you're hurt, you need to rest, you feel better once you've rested."

Jack got to his feet slowly and looked at Kait. "Will she be okay?" he asked Cameron.

"She will be, she's lost blood, she need rest as I said." she informed him. Ben helped carry her to the Jeep, and climbed in, while Sarah noticed Kait's metal arm in the bag. She held it up and turned to Jack.

"What the hell is this?" She asked.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Didn't she already tell you about the prosphetic arm?"

Cameron walked up besides them. "She did say she had one Sarah, you were there." she calmly stated.

Sarah sighed. "I thought she meant a rubber limb, not a trip-eight arm!" Sliding into the passenger seat, she tossed the prosthetic in the back, where Ben caught it. Jack took the wheel and backed out slowly.

"Find Aunt Cathy...She's a K series friendly..." Kait mumbled.

The Connors and Derek looked at Kait confused.

Jack winced, he was hoping to AVOID Catherine Weaver, at all costs.

"Her Aunt Cathy, Catherine Weaver CEO of Zeira Corporation." Jack explained.

"Why is Catherine Weaver considered her aunt?" Derek asked. "And what's she mean by K series."

Jack hated talking about this. "Think about, what's the K used for in terms of money."

They looked to one another, suddenly Sarah and John realised and with horror looked straight at Jack.

"No, no way, we are NOT going, nuh ugh, we're going else where." Sarah told him, absolutely positive she was going nowhere near a T-1000, not after last time.

Kait smiled briefly. She grabbed her phone and sent a video to an unknown number. Hopefully it would reach its recipient in time.

"Aunt Cathy's better...she's a 1001." She said before lapsing back into unconsciousness. Ben nodded in confirmation of her statement.

"Weaver is an advanced version of a T-1000, and is indeed an ally. She has also taken a great liking to her 'niece.'" Ben emotionlessly stated. He then turned back to watching over Kait as Cameron hopped in the back.

Derek looked to Sarah and shook his head.

"This is a bad idea Sarah, we don't want more metal around us, we got enough wth two."

The Connor Matriarch sighed. There was no way they were going anywhere near a T-1000. She pulled the Jeep out of the driveway and turned towards Kait and Jack's safe house

* * *

When they arrived, Cameron carried Kait in. Sarah on the other hand, sat in the living room with the others.

"So." Derek began. "Other than seeing the other Machine, what can we do now?" he asked.

Sarah turned on the television and began looking through the channels. "I want to see what the news are making of it. Hopefully we won't be named, if we are we'll need to ."

Meanwhile Cameron was finishing up her examination of Kait then turned her attention to Ben. "You almost failed your primary objective, if it wasn't for Riley's instability and anger towards me, Kait would be dead. You need to take better care of her, she is your responsibility, not mine." With that said Cameron turned and left to check on John

They weren't named in the news, as it turns out, and the room breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Ben came into the den with a knife and pliers. "Set my Chip to read-write. Kait's orders." Cameron tilted her head and walked up to the Triple-Eight. "Very well." She turned her attention to John, "would you like to assist?"

Cameron stepped up to John. "Are you alright?" she asked calmly, she knelt down to get a better look at him, confusion, shock and relief evident on his face over what had transpired. "John." she said a little louder as she placed a hand on his shoulder and shook him gently.

Startled, John looked at Cameron, he breathed a sigh of relief before looking at her once more. "Sorry I was miles away." he apologised.

Cameron nodded slowly. "Are you alright?" she asked with caring tone, not noticing Sarah scowling at her from behind.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine." John replied giving her a small smile. "Just a lot's happened today and we haven't even had lunch." he chuckled.

The floor suddenly changed, a silver pool rising to take a humanoid shape, settling in red hair and white clothing, features set in an expression of smugness. She stood at five feet, seven inches, the red hair flowing past her shoulders. Her figure was lithe, her movements fluid. Her eyes raked over the room's occupants, the fear, shock, horror displayed on each of their faces. On Derek, it was fear masked by masculinity, the technophobia too ingrained to ever fully wash out. On Sarah, the look was shock and horror, one hand creeping up to rest on her opposite shoulder. On John it was the remembrance of an unfortunate time in his youth, spent in the company of a Terminator he trusted.

Then she began to speak, the liquid T-1001, and introduced herself. "My name is Catherine Weaver. I came on behalf of my niece."


End file.
